


Compass

by Wesna



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood and Gore, Child Abuse, Demons, Graphic descriptions of violence, Human Sacrifice, Kuroko's Mother is a Bitch, M/M, Magic, Murphy's Laws are Strong in this AU, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-03-04 09:08:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13361310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wesna/pseuds/Wesna
Summary: After the Darkest Night everything changed. Humanity was no longer safe under the night's sky. The reign of the Demons has begun.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first time I write and post a fic, so I'm a little bit nervous. -sweats profusely- But, as I promised to someone, today is THE DAY!
> 
> First of all, I want to thank Ruka for proofreading the chapter!  
> Also, Nico, a big thank you with a special hug! For everything: for putting up with me and my insecurities, for every beautiful idea, for the conversations we had. You are amazing (I told you that already)!
> 
> Enjoy¬!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~I have no excuses for my laziness~~
> 
> Enjoy!

They lived in a perfect world. A world where technology and magic were intertwined, bonded with each other like lovers who craved the feeling of a gentle caress. They harmoniously enhanced each others’ powers, so the humans could exist in this world carefree and sated with the beauty around them.

 

Slowly people let go of one of the cardinal forces that kept the world at peace, as the technology and civilizational progress took all the glory.

 

The world was forgetting about the magic. It was deemed to be unnecessary for the progress of humanity, so people shunned it completely from their lives. Symbols that once held unprecedented power; that were glimmering at day and night with gentleness, burned out and became only intricate patterns carved in metal.

 

Of course, there was still a large number of people who could see the spark in those symbols. They protected this wisdom, hoping for peace to the world, hoping that the sacred runes won’t be needed again. And so it was for another hundreds of years.

 

But, all good things must meet their end. The melody of the apocalypse was rapid and screeching with ancient evil. Evil that was locked away for centuries by the force of the runes. Evil woken up from it’s slumber, feeling as the power of the runes grew weaker with every century that had passed.

 

Then, one day, as soon as darkness enshrouded the ever-so-lively cities, a tragedy came crashing down on all of the innocent beings. The shadows emerged from under the earth, from the sky, from the deepest parts of the oceans – bringing with their darkness death and despair.

 

At that night, that fateful night, millions of innocents had lost lost their lives in the jaws of the demons. Human technology – effective when used on their own kind – was an unreliable when it came to fighting those monsters off.

 

And so, when the Darkest of Nights came to an end, people began to seek shelter. But they were never safe with the shadows lurking in the darkness.

 

It was the beginning of an end.

 

The only seemingly safe places were the old temples, where hermits worked on protecting something that was long forgotten. Since then, the outcasts changed into saviours, as their weird techniques helped and protected the lives of many. They protected humanity with their ancient wisdom.

 

The Wise – as they were quickly named by the survivors – always fought in pairs. Two fragile human beings joined by their souls in perfect harmony, battling with the shadows. The Reader guided his partner and provided him with the knowledge of the Runes. The Writer executed the will of the Symbols.

 

From then on, people formed small communities and lived a calm and simple life under the sun, hiding behind the powers of Runes at night.

 

Sadly, the number of people gifted with the ability to see and use the Sacred Symbols decreased rapidly and every child that was able to see and interact with Runes was a miracle.

 

And one of those Miracles will save the world from extinction. Someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come scream at me and other members of KNB Discord  
> https://discordapp.com/invite/u4uV5qa


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello~~
> 
> I decided to post this chapter today as a way to unwind after a long day of procrastinating and not studying for tomorrow's philosophy exam... (Gods, have mercy on my poor soul and overheated brain)
> 
> Also, thank you for all the positive comments! They gave me so much power and I was smiling like an idiot for the rest of the evening!
> 
> Enjoy!

To live his live peacefully and to not bother anyone. That was Kuroko’s only wish.

 

Maybe that’s why he spent almost all of his time lurking in the ruins from the Old Times.

 

Since he was little and his father showed him those ruins, they became an inseparable part of his life. They gave him shelter, somewhere he could easily escape and hide. A beautiful place full of memories of the forgotten world.

 

The first time he actually entered them, was when he was around seven. His late father found them by accident while he was working in the forest and said he always wanted to show them to his favourite son. When Kuroko saw them, he was mesmerized.

 

The walls of stone and metal were shining with blueish and violet hue. They were calling him to explore, to come closer, to watch. He remembered this day as the best day of his life.

 

But then his father died in an accident. Being squashed by a falling tree was a painful death, but at least he died immediately.

 

Tetsuya was left alone and no one even wanted to go and explore with him. Not even his siblings.

 

Well, there was once a person who decided to go with him. He was called Ogiwara Shigehiro and was a close friend and a neighbour of Tetsuya. Back then, Kuroko thought it would be a great idea to show Shige those mystery places. He was so exited for this, but when they came to the place and Kuroko started to show Shige the glowing symbols on the walls, utensils, even the weird glass devices – his friend looked at him as if Kuroko were a lunatic.

 

After that, Tetsuya never talked to Ogiwara again. Instead – he became on object of mockery for all of the villagers. He was often called names, he was often beaten up just because he was interested in something the villagers could not understand.

 

Even his mother started to reject him, her mental condition getting worse with every year passed. Kuroko blamed his father’s sudden, tragic death.

 

Since then, he always went to the ruins alone.

 

At ten, he found an abandoned shrine, also full of those weird symbols. Everything hidden deep, deep in the woods, safe from the prying eyes of the people. And now, he stood in the spacious room, where the Old Ones once lived (probably) and his mind was flooded with thoughts about their lives, how they behaved. The symbols on the hard glass were always interacting with Tetsuya’s mood, showing him how the world looked like.

 

It was enchanting, magical, unbelievable – not like the mundane life he had.

 

The numbers on the glass frame changed. They showed 08.30 PM, and since Kuroko observed everything with exceptional ease, he deducted that this little device showed time.

 

He looked through the window only to see the sun getting lower on the horizon.

 

Shoot, he had little time to get to the village. His mother will be furious. So Kuroko exited the building in a hurry, bowing to it before he sprinted into the woods. The moss under his feet was wet, but he didn’t care. It was too soft to have a problem with this. He only wanted to get home before dusk.

 

In this moment, Kuroko was really happy that his house was nearby. Like everyone sane, he was afraid of what was hiding in the darkness of the night.

 

His happiness didn’t last long though. He was coming back to the place he dreaded so much. The last few years since his father’s death were hell for Tetsuya. His brothers and mother constantly took their anger out on him. And nobody has ever helped him so he ended up with scars and bruises and a feeling of void in his pure heart.

 

He was the weird boy that saw coloured buildings in the woods.

 

He wasn’t even considered human.

 

Everybody shunned him, hated him, they were afraid of him.

 

“This will get you a lashing, brat. Mother is waiting for you since afternoon.” Tetsuya cringed when he heard the sound of wood being chopped. So this was the greeting he got, huh? The harsh, sadistic voice said that, and Kuroko knew very well to whom it belonged.

 

Kousei Kuroko, his older brother. The oldest one of his four siblings and the one that Tetsuya was afraid of the most.

 

He was often unnecessarily violent, as befits a muscle-head like him, getting into fights and terrorising the residents of their little village. But he was mother’s favourite son nevertheless and “a perfect catch for all the young girls”.

 

Indeed, a perfect catch if you wanted to be beaten up for nothing... Kuroko decided to ignore him, it will be no good if he picked up a fight with him right now.

 

His eyes fell on the house, a little cottage once filled with warmth. The boy shuddered, his mother was standing in the threshold, looking like the happiest woman in the world. He gulped, this wasn’t good…

 

“I’m sorry for being late mother” He bowed and kissed her knuckles, as she always demanded it. _‘A true lady needs to be treated like one’_ \- that was her catchphrase. Her hands were cold, covered with a wet sheen of sweat. It made Tetsuya feel disgusted.

 

“You’d better be, boy. What am I going to do with you...” She sighed heavily, glaring at him, but the dangerous smile was still plastered on her face. For an almost forty year old woman, she was still beautiful - maybe because she wasn’t working at all - but her soul was far from beautiful.

 

“I’m sorry for being a hindrance, mother” he apologised again, just to be sure that he won’t get hit by her. She always liked when he behaved like an obedient pet.

 

“Don’t you worry, my dear child. Your beloved, poor and tired mother finally found the meaning to your existence!” She sighed dramatically, hugging him so hard that for a moment he had forgotten how to breathe properly. Her arms reminded him of two snakes, ready to deal the final blow and end his life in a span of seconds. That embrace wasn’t an act of love and care. It was an act of ensuring domination and making Tetsuya feel frightened for his life. Of curse, it always worked.

 

He closed his eyes tightly, waiting. Her tone was too cheerful, too fake.

 

“You will finally bring honour to our home, Tetsuya!” She chimed happily. “You were chosen to be a Maiden of Redemption. Those are such a wonderful news!” She clapped her hands like a teenage girl getting new jewellery, but Kuroko was scared stiff.

 

_He was going to be a Maiden!?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello~~
> 
> I'm back with another chapter so... Enjoy!
> 
> (Also, thank you, my beautiful beta, for proofreading the chapter :3)

He was going to be a Maiden?

 

Was this a bad joke? Or a nightmare… _‘Take a deep breath, you’ll soon wake up’_ Kuroko kept chanting to himself. But he didn’t. This wasn’t a dream, and this time his life was far worse than the worst nightmare.

 

He took a step back, shaky on his legs. His instincts screamed to run, to flee from this place as fast and far as possible. To run and never come back.

 

As soon as he made this little movement Kuroko bumped into a solid and warm wall of muscles. His brother was right behind him, smiling like a maniac. Tetsuya yelped when his brother grabbed him by the arms.

 

“Where do you think you are going, huh?” Kousei said with a sickly sweet voice, holding Kuroko in place. Hiromi just smiled at the scene, dangerous sparks lit her brilliant onyx eyes. Tetsuya looked over his shoulder, just to see the same expression on the face of his older sibling.

 

In this moment – despite majorly inheriting the traits of father’s look – Kousei resembled their mother so much that Tetsuya wanted to cry. Or vomit. Or both at the same time.

 

“A good mother, like me, always wants the best for the family. You should know about this, Tetsuya. It’s an opportunity for us to redeem the Kuroko name, which you and your father had so recklessly shattered!”

 

Hiromi’s slap on his cheeks was cold and wet and it felt like he was touched by the darkness itself. Void of all good emotion, sucking the last sparks of positivity out of him.

 

“You are useless, so at least be a good Midsommer sacrifice.”

 

Was he really that useless? Tears prickled in Kuroko’s eyes.

 

Of course they were right.

 

He was that weird boy with no presence at all, the ghost that haunted the ruins. Everyone laughed at him, hated him. He was too weak to work in a field or even lift an axe. All he could do was running away from responsibilities and spend his days daydreaming about the lives of the Old Ones.

 

Tears finally streamed down Kuroko’s cheeks. Maybe he really was only good for being a sacrifice?

 

The boy fell on his knees, feeling the weight of his whole pathetic life on his shoulders. His mother was speaking the truth, he was the one at fault. His family was shunned from the society because of his bad behaviour.

 

He was a failure of a son, a failure of a human being.

 

He deserved to be dead.

 

Being a sacrifice to demons was the only way to make his life worth something.

 

“I-I’m so s-sorry mother...” Kuroko sobbed his response out, avoiding eye contact with the woman, still feeling her cold gaze on him.

 

“Don’t cry, son, you are a man. You were chosen by the gods and you should be proud of that.” Hiromi patted Tetsuya’s blue hair, sighing heavily. “Now go to your room, Kousei will have an eye on you, so don’t even think of doing something stupid...” Her voice dropped low in threat and every word she said stabbed the boy like knives.

 

“Tomorrow is your big day Tetsuya. Don’t ruin it.”

 

-///-

 

The priests were waiting for him at the doors of the temple. They looked like ghosts, all clad in white, their faces deathly pale and hollow. Tetsuya felt his stomach churn and cold sweat beaded on his nape.

 

Kousei pushed him towards the group of clerics. Of course his brother was with him the whole time. Even in the night, as he sat in Tetsuya’s room, he whispered to his little brother every horrible thing that the demons will do to him.

 

Tetsuya couldn’t sleep at all after Kousei’s detailed and colourful descriptions.

 

The boy looked at the sun above his head. The day would only last for the next four or five hours – his last moments on this beautiful but cruel word…

 

One of the men grabbed his arm harshly, bringing him down to earth. Kuroko was led inside the temple to finally begin the preparation process.

 

He looked in the direction where his brother stood arm in arm with the head priest. Kousei looked irritated with every word that the man in grey said and Tetsuya tried to make out what they were talking about.

 

“Boy’s here, now the money...” the man only smiled, throwing a brown pouch at the elder Kuroko.

 

“Hundred golden crowns for you. And tell your mother that making business with her is a true _pleasure”_

 

Money? That could only mean… He… He was sold, like a lamb to a slaughter and…

 

Wooden doors closed themselves with a loud thud making Kuroko jump.

 

How could they? _If only father was alive..._

 

-///-

 

He was washed thoroughly, the scrubber painfully dug into his skin making it red. But it wasn’t like he cared about that. Kuroko looked at the wall with unseeing eyes, without even moving. His wild blue hair was combed and after that he was dressed in a knee long white tunic.

 

Kuroko let them do whatever they wanted, not sparing them a single glance. Was it wrong of him that he lost the ability to cry? Because he felt dead inside. Like his soul was ripped out of his body, leaving only an empty shell.

 

The boy was broken into pieces. Broken by those who were supposed to care about him.

 

The sun began to set.

 

As soon as the time came, he was led in a procession of ten clerics through the main square of the village. His hands, as well as his ankles, were bound together with a thick red rope.

 

People who gathered here for the festivities, for all the attractions that were placed in the main point of the village, came also to watch the Summer Solstice ritual; the death of the Maiden of Redemption.

 

His death.

 

Kuroko heard and saw everything. The mocking laughs of the crowd, faces contorted in disgust. This was the sacrifice's fate. To end its life with a heart filled with sorrow, betrayal, anger.

 

He finally stood at his destination – the place on which his life would be ended by the beginning of the night.

 

Kuroko was tied against the stone pillar tightly, without any room to move. The contrast between the crimson rope against his pale skin and the almost black stone from the blood that was spilled through the years was ominously beautiful.

 

Memories of the previous human offerings flooded his mind. They were always frantically struggling against the binds, no matter boy or girl, screaming and begging for their lives to be spared.

 

But he was much different than them; he wasn’t fighting, he had no strength left in his frail body.

 

When the priests were sure Kuroko wouldn’t flee, they left him alone and hid behind the safeness of the invisible barrier. Invisible for them, but for Kuroko the first and outermost copula, despite being almost transparent, shone with a violet hue. The inner one was blueish and much more visible for his eyes.

 

The people stood there, in the outer area, just to get the best places to watch the ritual.

 

Kuroko looked at the sky, it was a vibrant scarlet. A promise of danger and pain. At the same time Kuroko felt something deep within him, calming him. The corners of his mouth lifted in a sad smile, his blue eyes filling with unshed tears. Oh, how much he wanted to see the ruins for the last time, to see those magical colours shifting and vibrating against the cold metal constructions.

 

Kuroko let those tears slowly fall and disappear in the harsh white material of his dress. The night finally came and with the darkness, his end.

 

It wasn’t long until Kuroko could feel the cold terror with every fibre of his being. Opening his eyes – he saw _it._ The monster that will kill him.

 

The wolf-like monster looked like a shadow, his whole body was covered in deadly spikes that moved rapidly as if they were living.Long, curled horns, enormously large and strong jaws with sharp teeth and small, yellow eyes. Those eyes spotted Kuroko almost instantlyand the demon let a low guttural sound.

 

Tetsuya paled, blood rushing to the heart in a rapid surge of adrenaline. He started to trash against the tight ropes, trying desperately to break free “ _Gods, have mercy, please. I don’t want to die_ _yet_ _. Not like this.”_

 

The shadow started to run toward him, baring his teeth, growling ferally. Kuroko stopped; petrified, scared stiff.

 

People behind the barrier cheered, screamed. They were enjoying his terror and suffering. Kuroko’s handsfidgeted from the uncontrollable, tingly sensation. He hoped that one day they will feel the same fear he felt. Wished all of them to die in agony.

 

But...

 

He was the one to die in the first place…

 

The boy shut his eyes and braced himself for pain, for the sharp teeth that’ll sink into his flesh and end his life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no~~ Akashi-kun, save your little Tetsuya from the misery!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~
> 
> I come to you with another chapter, fresh from the oven! It was originally supposed to be posted tomorrow, but I couldn't wait any longer! Enjoy!
> 
> Warnings: gory (?) descriptions, deaths and havoc, author's limited vocabulary, this chapter is a mess.

The jaws never came for him.

 

In those few blood-curdling seconds he was sure no rescue would come for him. Kuroko dared to open his eyes, praying to whichever god he could think of in this moment to actually spare his poor life. Surprisingly, something had saved him. He was still alive.

 

Despite being horrified, Kuroko couldn’t help but look at the malformed face of the monster. The demon stood right before him and Kuroko could feel its breath on his face, putrid like decaying bodies. Something underneath the shadowy skin moved, like it was being eaten alive by maggots. The boy felt nauseated at the horrible sight.

 

Only that this wasn’t the most appalling thing in this demon. His yellow eyes were fixated on the place where the boy stood. Dread crept over Kuroko’s body like an icy chill and his mind froze. Maybe this monster was going to play with him to the satisfaction of the spectators?

 

No...

 

The demon should have killed him right on the spot, he was one of the mindless predators after all. Instead he just… looked hollowly into the space, as if being disoriented? As if the boy never existed.

 

Kuroko blinked in disbelief. What was happening here?

 

The crowd also seemed to notice the change in the demon’s behaviour and reacted to it with more screams and shouts fuelled with outrage. Shadowy head snapped in the direction of the voices, a low, almost exasperated rumble resonated deep within the monster’s chest.

 

‘ _Stupid people...’_ Tetsuya thought to himself, observing the situation cautiously. Still, he couldn’t understand why the shadow had just ignored him. Kuroko clenched his fists in irritation. Was he really _that_ useless that even monsters rejected him as a sacrifice?

 

A strong, sudden wave of negative emotions filled his mind and heart, making his vision go red for a moment. No, he was not worthless! Kuroko gripped the hard and cold stone underneath his fingers and heat spilled all over his body.

 

Loud sound of explosion silenced the enraged mass of villagers, making them look at each other in confusion.

 

That brief moment of disorientation was interrupted with a spine-chilling howl. It was followed up with another howling, then another and soon the devilish orchestra became the only sound in the area. _They_ were communicating with each other, sending signals to hunt the humans again. Finally, hundreds of those yellow eyes appeared in the darkness, looking like miniature lanterns.

 

Why were they even trying to get to the villagers? The demons knew that this place was protected by the two copulas…

 

...Or maybe not.

 

Tetsuya looked at the transparent constructions only to see the blue barrier standing alone. The violet one perished, ceased to exist like it weren’t even there in the first place. And that could mean one thing… All of the villagers assembled to watch the ritual were left without any protection.

 

The demons swarmed, ready for attack, growling, screeching – with intentions to kill. The horde started their hunt after years of starvation.

 

Kuroko saw his family, standing in the crowd, not aware of the danger they were in. He wanted to warn them, but his voice stuck in his throat and no sound fell out of his opened lips. The feeling of terror in Kuroko’s gut was stronger and stronger, getting to the point of insanity. His body started to tremble like a leaf on the wind. His heart was beating so fast and hard that he felt it thrashing against his rib cage. No matter if the first demon ignored him, there was no way that he would get out of this situation alive. He looked around in panic; they were all surrounded by those monstrous creatures.

 

Something sharp – talons – grazed his skin, slashing not only the flesh but also freeing him from the ropes. Kuroko fell on his knees and the demons passed by, tempted by the air thick with the scent of frightened humans. The boy curled into a ball on the hard ground, feeling his whole body convulsing for a second from the coldness that has spread under his skin.

 

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a soft, colourful veil. He looked down, only to see his hands glowing with a dim light, small sparks of blue and red flickered on his finger tips, making them look as if they were ignited. His body was engulfed from head to toe in yellow… All of his being was covered in that pleasant golden shine. Kuroko was stunned with bewilderment.

 

Now he could understand what was that weird tingly feeling that he, oh so fleetingly, felt moments ago; why the monsters had ignored him. His prayers were heard, the gods have saved him from being torn into shreds.

 

Kuroko was so lost in his thoughts and the intensity of relief he felt that he hadn’t noticed the havoc that was happening; the screams and cries of terror fell on deaf ears. After a long while he regained his consciousness; finally being able to hear everything. The pained shrieks, desperate wails for help – the sound ripped flesh and bones being broken filled the humid and hot summer air.

 

The boy looked up rapidly focusing on the image around the village – his whole family was there, he had to save them, get them as quick as possible to the safeness of the barrier. Kuroko got on his feet rapidly, almost stumbling when he made his first move but he quickly regained his balance.

 

The ritual stone wasn’t so far away from the village, so with only a few steps, the black figures became recognisable on the background lit by fire. He picked up the peace as if his life was depending on it, running to the place he saw his family for the last time.

 

Mutilated bodies decked the grass like a disgusting mosaic.

 

His eyes finally found his siblings and his mother. But he wasn’t prepared for this… The demons were approaching them slowly, so very slowly, trapping all of them in a game of fear. Kuroko took a step, deciding to help them but in the same moment Kousei threw Hikaru to the mass of shadows. The boy screamed as the monsters ripped out his flesh with their sharp claws and teeth.

 

Hiroto joined his twin brother in a reckless effort to save him. But Hikaru was already dead.

 

Monstrous jaws soon found another victim in the older twin. Hiroto cried out from pain. The demon bit off a large amount of muscle, running off to devour it.

 

Kuroko screamed until his throat went sore, but his voice got lost in the sounds of mayhem all over the place. He didn’t care what he was doing, running toward his brothers. The ground under his feet was wet and slippery with blood.

 

The youngest Kuroko kneeled beside his older sibling in the pool of warm fluid that was oozing from the wound, soaking the white dress in dirty, burgundy colour.

 

The once crimson liquid upon his brother’s pale white face deformed in pure horror and agony was silver-black in the dim light of the moon.

 

“Te… tsuya… Run...” Hiroto coughed out, splattering his chin in more red. He tried to focus his sight on his little brother so desperately that Tetsuya felt his heart clench painfully. The boy took the slightly bigger hand into his palm, squeezing it reassuringly, brushing away Hiroto’s blue hair from his wet forehead.

 

“No, no, don’t speak.” Kuroko softly whispered hearing his voice break. Hiroto weakly, with a trembling hand cupped Tetsuya’s cheek, smudging the blood over his cheekbones.

 

“Tetsuya I’m… so so-… sorry for being… a bad brother. Hikaru… he also...” the dying boy hissed out as the pain slowly overcame his mind, his eyes locking with Kuroko’s, seeking forgiveness in the last seconds of his short life.

 

“I understand, now sleep. You must be tired… I’ll be with you the whole time.” Kuroko’s breath hitched as he tried to stop the water pooling in the corners of his eyes from overflowing, bravely holding onto his brother’s dirtied hand, smiling at him with the most beautiful and gentle smile he could muster at this moment.

 

“Thank… you...” Hiroto rasped and lifted the corners of his mouth in a sad smile before his hand fell limply out of Tetsuya’s grasp. His life ended with a quiet, gurgling sound.

 

Kuroko sobbed, crystal clear tears falling down and smudging the red liquid further on Hiroto’s still warm cheeks. He and Hikaru were only two years older than Tetsuya. What did they do to deserve this fate? Their dead and hollow eyes seemed to ask the same question. They were a family, weren’t they? So why? Why!? Why Kousei did this to them!? A family was supposed to care for each other!

 

Kuroko clenched his teeth and closed slowly Hiroto’s and Hikaru’s lids; they shouldn’t be looking at all the gruesome images. The boy sniffed, clearing his tear and blood strained face with the hem of his sleeve.

 

Today Tetsuya’s future with this place, just like the village before his eyes, went down in flames. This wasn’t his home any more; it was _never_ his home to begin with. He turned on his heels, not looking back, leaving his past to burn down to ashes, just like the wooden buildings that were caught in fire.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, I'm a troll.~ No Akashi-kun in this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo~  
> The whole month of exams took its toll on my health and my mood, causing a massive writer's block. I feel bad right now for making such a long break but ugh, this chapter was hard to write. It was born in tears and blood (and rewritten at least a few times). 
> 
> I'm sorry for the delay and I hope you'll enjoy reading this short chapter!

Kuroko stopped by the nearest tree, panting heavily. How long had he been running now, trying to get away from the horrible smell of blood and burned flesh? He did not know. There was only one thing he knew for sure – the pain in his lungs and legs was real. Just as real as the burgundy liquid that slowly trickled from the cut in his arm. He touched the wound and hissed from the cold sting that pierced his body. His legs buckled and Kuroko slid weakly down the rugged tree bark, sitting on the wet moss underneath.

 

Everything was spinning and black spots danced before his eyes. He wiped off the cold sweat from his forehead but the stench of half dried blood on the sleeve of his tunic only made him even more nauseous. He placed his head between his knees and waited for the queasiness to go away, swallowing back the bile rising in his throat.

 

The blue haired boy breathed in the crisp forest air through his nose, trying to force himself to relax. Like a mantra, he kept chanting and counting his deep breaths; in and out, inhale and exhale. _‘Better, much better. Keep going...’_

 

At least now he wasn’t thinking only about how much he wanted to throw up, as the overwhelming feeling of dizziness started to recede.

 

He raised his head slowly and looked around, briefly paying attention to his surroundings. He was in the forest, at night – one of his biggest dreams came true… But he wasn’t happy at all. His wish was granted in the most cruel way, twisted with death and despair. The serenity of the woods was suffocating. Even the gentle light of the moon seemed to mock him.

 

Tetsuya sighed and closed his tired eyes listening to the sounds of the nature.

 

The rustle of the leaves, the sound of the wind moving the branches, the repetitive symphony of the crickets…. Everything seemed so peaceful, so surreal after today’s events. As if it didn’t happened in the first place.

 

But it _had_ happened. He still heard the screams echoing in his mind. The dull throb of his wound kept anchoring him to reality. Dried, burgundy stains on the fabric and the golden gleam that clung to his body like a second skin were also the proofs.

 

He survived, he was saved; he was given a second chance to live. Kuroko’s lips raised in a sad smile; the radiance of the godly veil soothed his strained nerves in a strange way. Why him? Why was he alive?

 

An owl hooted behind him, interrupting the monotonous melody of the forest. Kuroko jumped, scrambling to his feet in panic. Almost instantly the nausea came back and the world was spinning again. The boy gritted his teeth and forced his body and mind to be alert and ready to run as fast as his aching muscles would let him. Luckily, there was no hint of the demons’ presence – they were still feasting in the village.

 

Kuroko turned, locking his sight on the big bird. The owl’s eyes were as yellow as the eyes of the monster. A shiver ran down Kuroko’s spine. Were the priests right? Were the animals left unharmed because they were so similar to the demons? Because they had no soul?

 

Tetsuya gritted his teeth and his nails dug painfully into the skin of his palm. Animals were safe here but _he_ wasn’t. The boy furrowed his brows in concentration. He needed to find himself a shelter before the protection given to him by the Goddess of Fate vanishes completely.

 

Fallen twigs and dry cones crunched under his feet, echoing like thunder in the calmness of the night. Kuroko knew where to go. He could get there with closed eyes, as he knew the way by heart. That place was one of his hiding destinations, his small heaven on earth, his salvation when the bullies went too far. Kuroko’s lips quivered and he barely stopped himself from crying.

 

To think that an old and forgotten shrine would hold much more pleasant memories than his own home…

 

Kuroko scrambled through the thick tangle of branches and bushes, wanting to see the temple so desperately.

 

He felt a little bit happier when the violet light became visible. From this distance it looked like a small firefly. He was getting closer, so close to the warm energy that felt like the extension of his soul. Kuroko wrapped his arms around his body and dragged his feet; so tired and heavy. But when he finally stepped into the protective ring all of the tenseness left his body as if taken away from him by a shaman’s touch.

 

Safe…

 

Smiling felt so wrong after living through all of the horror, but he couldn’t help it. A small puff of relief left his lips when he saw the two familiar statues standing on the path to the wooden building.

 

He stepped closer, wanting to look at them once more, despite the fact he knew every crack on the stone. The boy liked to think that those figures were guarding the sanctuary, that it was their duty. The slender feminine figure was holding in her hands a set of cards, spread out like a fan. She was facing her companion – a chubby male with a smile so wide that it almost split his destroyed face in two. The silvery quill he pressed so tightly against his chest and the cards were the only things that remained so detailed.

 

It was sad how the time left it’s mark on the stone. Kuroko stood on his tiptoes to brush the leaves off their heads. They deserved a little bit of care after all.

 

Upon touching the uneven surface, the objects in their hands started to glow white. It startled the boy a bit, but the tingling feeling on the pads of his fingers was pleasant and warm. Reassuring.

 

Oh, everything was so magical about this place.

 

He was here now, safe from the dangers that came with the demons and humans. Kuroko chewed on his lip, breaking it and drawing blood. The liquid was metallic in taste and it automatically brought up images of the massacre to Kuroko’s mind. The boy whimpered and shook his head. He needed to be strong, just for a little bit longer… The time to grieve and mourn will come in a moment.

 

Kuroko forced himself to move, walking straight to the building.

 

Despite being so old, the shrine still stood in a good condition and the symbols carved in the wood were shining with a strong yellow light, so different in shade than the faint golden sheen on Kuroko’s body. The boy took a deep breath and pushed the door to open them.

 

Humid and hot air hit Kuroko’s face. He stepped inside with a frantically beating heart. Kuroko closed the door and fell with a loud thud on the floor, curling himself into a ball. The first sob that left his lips was broken. Tears streamed down his face when he screamed, smearing the dirt and blood that was left on his skin.

 

The dam he had built inside of his mind to contain his emotions finally crumbled, leaving him defenseless to the overwhelming feeling of sorrow and regret.

 

Tonight, Kuroko cried himself to sleep, surrounded by the soft shimmer of mysterious symbols on the wall and a feeling of safety that he didn’t deserve.


	6. Chapter 6

His life shattered and left him hanging in a weird state. Kuroko was spiraling down, straight to the limbo of his mind, almost numb with the force of his recurring memories. For those past days, he was only a shell of his former self - being, but not living, feeling only the heavy weight on his chest and desperate pleads for help coiling around his heart like vines.

 

Eating was nearly impossible, though he forced himself to do at least something that would keep his memories at bay. For the time he was here, he slept only when his body was too exhausted from the constant strain of crying. How could he even find the strength in his frail body when all of it was used when he screamed his lungs out in a futile attempt to forget?

 

Neither screaming nor crying won’t give back the life to all those poor and innocent people. Their bodies haunted him in his nightmares, trying to sink him into the depths of a black tar, scratching his body with their sharp claws and teeth. Dehumanized, feral, _dead_ . Oh, what a horrible irony. This was supposed to be _his_ fate; he was supposed to be a fodder for the demons to assure prosperity and safety to his village. It was a tradition, something _sacred_ that saved them from the misery every year... Instead, _he_ was safe...

 

And that disgusted him the most.

 

Maybe, just maybe he could erase himself from this world, from the memories of the still  living ones? His life proved him that it was possible more than once. After all, nobody would have mourned after him, not when he served only as a token of their well being. That was his only purpose... and yet, he was mourning after them, no matter how hard he tried to hate the people that forced this hell upon him.

 

Staying here, alienated, wouldn't be much different. Kuroko was already used to loneliness

 

Tending for this place would give some meaning to his hollow existence. The idea of staying in the temple for a little longer wasn't that bad, he thought, laying flat on the floor and looking at the ceiling. In fact, it was tempting. No bullying, no demons, nothing but him and the silent safety of the building.

 

Kuroko sat up, leaning against the wall and the symbol behind him turned brighter for a split second. They were white, like the quill and set of cards held by the statues.

 

Despite his exhaustion, Kuroko saw how they react when he touched them. It was hard to miss the odd shine, but he felt a little bit better every time when he was connected with them.

 

Getting up on his wobbly feet, Kuroko quietly breathed in the atmosphere of the place. The smell of blood left his nostrils some time ago, replaced with the lingering, spicy scent of the wood.

 

Honestly, he had never the time to lurk in every corner of the building, mainly because it was just far away from his home and the danger of getting caught too high to even risk staying. This was his chance. The temple was still a mystery for him, and right now – he wanted get a closer look at his new home. This found curiosity was like a spark that turned into a flame. It finally pushed him to do something other than being a mess he undoubtedly turned into.

 

Quiet like a mouse, he looked for every unusual thing, like the smallest web of symbols written all over the place. Right behind the small altar was a line of white. Kuroko followed their trail, leading him to the small niche secluded from the main room, unnoticeable because of the narrow entrance.

 

For a normal person, it would be too dark for anything to see, but the drawings were providing enough light for Kuroko. Enough to know that he found himself freezing on the spot. The room wasn't much different, but Kuroko _felt_ something. Something surged through his veins and filled him with confidence as the symbols pulsated, whispering in their weird language of light to come closer.

 

He outstretched his hand, fingers quickly met with a smooth but cold surface on the wall. _A hiding place?_ Kuroko touched the glowing spiral and the recess opened. Quiet gasp fell past his lips as he hid his face in his arms, protecting his eyes from the sudden blinding light. He moved closer and raised his brow, shuddering slightly. A pleasant heat washed all over his body when he touched _something._ He grasped it, bringing it closer to his face.

 

Kuroko's eyes went wide. He was holding a round pendant made from a stone as black as a starless night. It was beautiful, even more stunning than the jewelry his mother had in her collection. Something was drawn on the smooth surface with a thin silver lining - a crescent shape that ended with a little spiral on the bottom, crossed diagonally with two thorn like lines.

 

Fiddling the stone in his hand, Kuroko felt all of the tenseness disappearing from his body. His clouded mind was cleared of the fog when he fastened the chain around his neck, warmth engulfed his being like a soft blanket, like a loving hug. It filled his mind with a calm and protective energy. Kuroko smiled to himself and oddly bouncy on his feet he resumed his search.

 

What he found rendered him speechless.

 

Old tomes that were sparkling with gold and white, heavily framed in thick leather and with metal lining on the edges. More jewelry, weapons with similar engravings on both their handles and blades. Various maps laid scattered around, showing the world that was long forgotten in the darkness that came with the demons.

 

This was _too much_.

 

Kuroko’s eyes began to hurt from the overwhelming light, as if it was scaring the shadows inside his mind away, the injury on his arm burned and stung

 

And then, _he was free._ Free of all the pain and suffering.

 

As he laid on his stomach on the dusty wooden floor, one map piqued his interest. A map much younger than the others. _The Kingdom of Teiko._ His homeland.

 

The pendant warmed up between his collarbones when he whispered out the name of the capital.

 

With utmost reverence he hid all the treasures in their rightful place. All but few. Some notebooks were just too beautiful to be hidden from the world’s eye.

He heard the destiny’s call. And it was a sin not to follow its voice.

 

\---///---

 

“Fuck” Haizaki cursed, throwing another thing at the piling stack of garbage behind him. Everything he found in this shithole was useless, not even one thing counting as a decent material to sell.

 

It wasn't even supposed to be like that!

 

He came here to look for antiques (“steal” was such a rude word for what he was doing) and then bathe in all the gold he would have gotten from his transactions. He even _invested_ his money in this trip, goddammit, and it wasn't a cheap thing to do. No one in their right minds would even consider traveling fifteen days to this gods forsaken region, and yet, Haizaki was here, tempted by the prospect of easy gain, kissing the demon’s ass instead.

 

Gritting his teeth, he rummaged through the room in hopes of finding at least _something_ , failing once more.

 

_Day after day, ruin after ruin, ever since he came here days ago._

 

He screamed, kicking the trash, heavily corroded metal clattered and echoed noisily. _What a fucking disaster…_

 

Haizaki left the destroyed place, mumbling and cursing under his breath, stepping onto the moss that covered the floor. Runes on the walls glimmered at him mockingly, as if they were laughing at his misery. His hand formed an obscure gesture in their direction, growling as he squinted at them.

 

It was too late to stay here, though. The sun was slowly setting and staying the night under the sky, even if he had a protection ring with him, was the last thing he wanted to do.

 

He hurried his horse through the woods. Only warm bath and booze could make his day better, even for a little bit.

 

The inn he stayed in was obscure but it was still better than spending the night outside. Demonic screeches and constant sounds of the barrier being assaulted wasn't Haizaki’s favourite lullaby, thank you very much.

 

The stench of cheap alcohol, burning fat, vomit and sweat hit him in a hot wave as soon as he stepped through the door. _Home sweet home, huh?_ A busty waitress took his order and he sat in the corner of the large room. People were too loud and too obnoxious, some picking up drunk fights causing Haizaki’s head to split from pain.

 

Humans were even more disgusting than demons.

 _Never again_ , Haizaki told himself, _he’ll leave this place as soon as it's possible and forget about this disaster._

 

He drank his beer, not even minding that it spilled on his shirt, grimacing with every gulp he took - it tasted like piss and looked like it… He was used to drinks of much better quality, but this wasn’t Rakuzan. Haizaki banged his head on the tacky wood and some people moved away when he unsheathed his knife to mindlessly play with it, stabbing the table in frustration. He wanted to go home and even the prospect of meeting with that rainbow fucker seemed far better than sulking here in this shithole with those peasants.

 

_Uncultured swines..._

 

Another beer was handled to him and he downed it immediately, feeling the warmth of the alcohol finally spread all over his body. He was ready to go to his room until he saw… _it._

 

A shine so bright it was hurting his eyes. He had to squint; it was too intense for it to be the light of fire, too _otherworldly._ Was this a mirage, an alcohol induced delusion?

 

No, this could not be true. It was too good to be true.

 

Haizaki smiled, sheathing his knife as he walked to the source of his hope.

 

He rushed through the room, feeling the surge of energy that came every time he got closer to the runes. It was stronger with every step he took, making him shake with anticipation.

 

He has finally hit the jackpot, he has found a… _child!?_

 


End file.
